Field Hockey

This Week in ACC Field Hockey

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – As the first RPI rankings of the 2024 field hockey season were released earlier this week, the Atlantic Coast Conference once again holds the No. 1 spot as a league. Teams throughout the conference are preparing for the second weekend of conference play, which will consist of eight total contests between Friday, September 27 and Sunday, September 29.
 
North Carolina’s Ryleigh Heck was named the NFHCA National Offensive Player of the Week following a 13-point week and two wins over ranked opponents. Heck also earned ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors alongside her teammate, Abigail Taylor, who was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Four ACC games are scheduled for this weekend, including three ranked matchups. No. 9 Duke and No. 15 Syracuse will both play two conference games. Two ACC field hockey matches will air on ACC Network this week. Wake Forest will host Syracuse on Friday at 6 p.m. ET, while Duke will host Syracuse on Sunday at noon ET.
 
North Carolina rose to the No. 1 spot in the NFHCA Coaches Poll following ranked wins over Syracuse and Liberty last week. Joining the top-ranked Tar Heels in the poll are No. 3 Virginia, No. 9 Duke, No. 12 Boston College, No. 13 Louisville and No. 15 Syracuse.
 
ACC Field Hockey Weekly Schedule
Friday, September 27
#12 Boston College at #13 Louisville | 11 a.m. | ACCNX
#3 Virginia at #9 Duke | 4 p.m. | ACCNX
#15 Syracuse at Wake Forest | 6 p.m. | ACC Network
 
Sunday, September 29
#15 Syracuse at #9 Duke | Noon | ACC Network
Kent State at Wake Forest | Noon | ACCNX
William & Mary at Virginia | 1 p.m. | ACCNX
#13 Louisville at #4 Ohio State | 1 p.m. | B1G+
Cal at UC Davis | 4 p.m. | ACCNX
 
All times Eastern
 
Noting ACC Field Hockey
  • North Carolina's Ryleigh Heck was named the NFHCA National Offensive Player of the Week following a 13-point week and two wins over ranked opponents.
  • North Carolina rose to the No. 1 spot in the NFHCA Coaches Poll following ranked wins over Syracuse and Liberty last week. Joining the top-ranked Tar Heels in the poll are No. 3 Virginia, No. 9 Duke, No. 12 Boston College, No. 13 Louisville and No. 15 Syracuse.
  • Three of the top five teams in the September 22 RPI rankings hail from the ACC. North Carolina leads the country at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Virginia and No. 5 Syracuse.
  • Two of the four remaining undefeated Division I teams hail from the ACC in North Carolina and Virginia. The two teams have combined to win 13 games this season, including eight over ranked opponents.
  • Four ACC games are scheduled for this weekend, including three ranked matchups. No. 9 Duke and No. 15 Syracuse will both play two conference games.
  • Two ACC field hockey matches will air on ACC Network this week. Wake Forest will host Syracuse on Friday, September 27 at 6 p.m. ET, while Duke will host Syracuse on Sunday, September 29 at noon ET.
  • After one weekend of conference play, Virginia sits alone atop the ACC standings at 2-0. Boston College, Louisville and North Carolina each went 1-0 in the opening weekend of league play.
  • North Carolina has been the ACC's highest-scoring offense this season, averaging 4.17 goals per game, ranking second nationally. The Tar Heels also rank second nationally in goals against average, allowing just 0.33 goals per game.
  • Cal's Liz Klompmaker is tied for third nationally in goals scored with nine this season, while Boston College's Yani Zhong and Peyton Hale are directly behind her, netting eight each.
  • North Carolina's Heck is tied for the national lead in assists this season with eight. Cal's Canisha van Duyn and Virginia's Emily Field both rank in the top six nationally.